


The Milletian's Path

by SureenInk



Category: Mabinogi (Video Game)
Genre: F/F
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-12-13
Updated: 2020-12-15
Packaged: 2021-03-10 17:34:38
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 4,778
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28040985
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SureenInk/pseuds/SureenInk
Summary: Rin used to be a normal girl with a dead-end job living a dead-end life. But everything changed when she attempted to aid another person in need. Now, she has awoken as a Child of the Stars in a strange place called Erinn. What will her new life be like? What dangers await her in this new world? (Story rendition of the Mabinogi plot)
Relationships: Milletian/Original Character
Kudos: 1





	1. Prologue

Everything was growing dark around me. I clutched my chest, but it couldn't stop the pain that was flooding my body. My blood was spilling onto the ground both from my mouth and my chest.

So, this is what it felt like when you were dying, huh? I was going to die, and why? Because I wanted to be a hero? Because I wanted to save someone? Fat lot of good that had done. I was going to die because I tried to help someone else.

The worst part about it was, I didn't even know if I had done any good. The person I tried to save was still up against my killers. They were probably going to knife her, just like they did me.

Lights flashed as I heard distant sirens. Were they coming here? Would the cops find us before she got killed, too? I didn't know, my vision was too blurry to see anything.

Well, I guess all I could do was hope.

That's when the world went dark.

That wasn't the end?

I could feel my body floating, completely weightless. As I opened my eyes, I saw a shining, shimmering expanse unlike anything I had ever seen. Whites and yellows and pinks and blues shimmered like crystals all around me, yet I could sense that there was nothing there.

Stars seemed to sparkle despite all of the light, and the colors were so radiant I couldn't even describe what I saw or how it felt.

"Where am I?" I asked and my voice seemed to echo out forever. "What is this place? What's going on?"

Despite the fact I knew I should have felt terrified, I felt calm and peaceful. It was as if an aura of beauty and peace flowed through my body. I didn't understand, I couldn't understand.

"Would you like another chance?" I heard a soft voice speak, but it didn't come from anywhere. It felt as if it had originated in my mind. The voice was beautiful, and for a moment I wondered if it was the voice of a goddess. But no, that couldn't have been it.

"Another chance?" I asked. "At what?"

"Another chance to live, another chance to help."

Well, my life hadn't been all that great before. I worked a dead-end job for a minimum wage. I lived in a run-down home that barely functioned. I was miserable. Why would I want that again?

"It can be different this time." That's what the voice said to me, as if it could read my mind.

And why wouldn't it be able to? It was talking from my mind. "It can be different," I scoffed. "Yeah, right."

"It can be, if you only wish it to be."

Sure, I just had to wish for a better life now that I was dead. That would bring me back to life and my life would be better. If only things like wishes really existed. This wasn't some fantasy with magic and dragons. This was real life! Well, it was real life, but now I wasn't even alive anymore.

What was it people said? Even after you die, your brain is still alive for eight more minutes? Was that what this was? My brain's final bout of delusion? When those eight minutes were up, then what would happen?

The voice didn't respond.

Of course, it was just my mind making all of this up. I didn't have an answer, I just had a hope. Of course my mind wouldn't be able to think up and create an answer when it was being deprived of oxygen.

"Do you want another chance?" the voice asked again.

Sure, why not? It's not like it would actually happen, or any of it would be real anyway. Why not see what my mind could create in its last few minutes?

I felt myself falling now, as if I suddenly had weight. I fell and fell and I kept on falling.

I hit the ground face first, but it didn't hurt. It was only after I realized that it hadn't hurt that I realized I didn't feel any pain at all. I could feel the ground beneath me, but I didn't feel pain.

I pushed myself up onto my arms and looked up. What was this place? The strange colors had become a simple blue sky that seemed to stretch out infinitely, even below me. I was on some sort of semi-transparent, circular platform. The platform was huge and could easily fit a thousand people lying down.

Large pillars seemed to float just off the edges of the platform. They were white like marble, and the edge of platform looked to be made of the same material. There was a black ring halfway between the center and the edge of the platform, and in the very center was a peculiar symbol. It looked like an X or a cross but it was made out of crossing, knotting lines.

I pushed myself up onto my knees, then rose to my feet. Where was I? I couldn't possibly have been imagining this, could I? Not with my brain barely functioning by now. I had fallen for so long, it had to have been near the eight minute mark by now.

"Welcome, Child of the Stars," a voice spoke up. It was the same voice from before, but this time, it wasn't in my mind.

"Who... who are you? Where am I?" I asked.

A brilliant light flashed in front of me and I had to cover my eyes. When the light vanished, a startlingly beautiful woman was before me. Her skin was soft and radiant while her hair was white and formed into pigtails. She wore a black sleeveless dress that had a deep V-cut neck with intricate patterns on it. The dress came down to her feet, though a slit ran down from her waist to the bottom of the dress.

Around her neck was a golden torque and around her waist was a simple corded belt. On the belt was a metal ring that seemed to attach to some form of braid. Her deep azure blue eyes reminded me of an endless sea full of mystique.

I stared at the radiant goddess of a figure before me. She seemed to float down until her bare feet touched the ground. Her hands rested against the front of her dress, causing her arms to push against her ample bust. "I am Nao, the Goddess of the Stream."

"Goddess of... the Stream?" I asked.

"The place you stand in now is the Soul Stream. It is my task to guide pure souls such as yours to the land of Erinn. All souls from other worlds that wish to enter Erinn come through here. We call those souls 'Milletians' or 'Children of the Stars'."

"Then... I really am dead? This... isn't a dream?"

Nao shook her head. "I do not know the state of your original body, but no, this is not a dream. You have passed beyond the veil between worlds and entered this one."

I stared for a moment, then looked down. My mind was racing now. I was really alive, and I was in another world? But why? I had made the wish to have another chance at life, but was that really what had brought me here?

"I know, it can take some time to get used to the transition." Nao smiled and sat a hand on my shoulder. "Why not allow me to explain to you what Erinn is and what it is like?"

I looked up at Nao, then gave a soft nod.

"Erinn is a fantastic world. As a Milletian, you can do just about anything you want to do. If you wish for a simple, peaceful life, you can have it. If you wish for an adventure filled life full of wild moments as you fight monsters, you can have that as well. You need not fear death, either. Your soul is linked to the Soul Stream. You will simply return here when you die and can then return to Erinn once again."

"R-really?"

Nao nodded and smiled again. "Yes. That's what makes you Milletians so special. You can be whoever or whatever you want to be, and you can live for as long as you want to. You can also pass on and journey to a new world whenever you so desire."

"That... that sounds nice..." I smiled.

"Would you like to go to the world of Erinn, then?"

I nodded. "Yes."

"Then close your eyes and imagine who you want to be, how you want to look. When you have, open them again."

I nodded. I closed my eyes. I imagined myself as a young girl, no older than thirteen. I figured that, if I was getting a new chance at life, I could try being a kid again. I imagined myself with soft brown hair in a long ponytail, a green left eye, and a blue right eye. I felt a wave of energy flow around me and through me.

As I opened my eyes, I found myself now in a small town. As I looked down, I could see myself dressed in a simple white short-sleeved shirt and pink skirt with pink shoes, just as I had imagined myself. I guess Nao hadn't lied about me being able to be what and who I wanted to be.

I smiled and balled my hands into fists and raised my hand with determination. "I'm alive again!" I shouted. This time, things would be different. I would do what I wanted to do, be who I wanted to be. No more dead-end jobs, no more dead-end life. It was time for me to be me. Who am I? My name is Rin, and I'm a Milletian.


	2. Chapter 2

My life as a Milletian started off simply enough. The town I had found myself in when I arrived in Erinn was known as Tir Chonaill. To put it simply, it was a small hillside town. The villagers within the town were mostly ranchers or farmers, though there was a nearby church, healer, and even a magic school.

The chief of Tir Chonaill was Duncan. He wasn't surprised to see me. Apparently, many milletians had come before me. He said we were "always popping in and out of here." He didn't mean it in a bad way, of course. In fact, he gave a smile and a chuckle after saying that.

Duncan was an older man, I'd say he was in his sixties or older. He had long gray hair and a beard. He had wrinkles on his face that showed his age, yet the fact he stood straight, talked with a deep voice that resounded dignity and authority, and the way that his eyes seemed to beam, all seemed to defy his age.

The first words he spoke to me were "Welcome to Tir Chonaill. You were sent by Nao, weren't you?"

I nodded. "Yes, my name is Rin. I'm a Milletian."

Duncan smiled. The wrinkles on his face became ever more prominent when he did. "Good to see more of your kind here. How cam an old man such as myself help you?"

"What is there to do around here?" I asked.

Duncan chuckled. "Well, let's see... lately, the church has been asking for assistance from any who are willing to help. Perhaps you might speak with Endelyon and ask her what needs to be done?" Duncan pointed off to the west where I could see a small chapel. "It's a church to Lymilark, the god of love."

"Lymilark?" I questioned.

"He is one of the three second tier gods, and he is under the direct command of Aton Cimeni, the Great Creator."

"Really? That's pretty cool." I turned to look at the church. "Aton Cimeni and Lymilark, huh?" With those words, I walked over to the church.

As I arrived at the church, a girl that I imagined couldn't have been older than eighteen or so stepped out of the chapel. She had chestnut hair that went down below her shoulders and gentle looking eyes. She wore what I can only describe as a nun gown, being black from chest-to-toe but with a small white portion around her upper chest and neck. A necklace hung down from around her neck, and I could see a golden cross with a circle around it as the pendant of the necklace.

"Oh, hello, I don't believe I've seen you before," the girl spoke with a gentle smile.

"I'm new here. I just came from the Soul Stream a few minutes ago. My name is Rin." I smiled.

"My name is Endelyon. I am pleased to meet you." Endelyon gave a soft bow.

"Duncan said this was a church to... Lymilark?" I asked.

"Yes. Would you like to come inside and see?"

I nodded in response.

We walked inside and I glanced around. It wasn't a very big place, just big enough for a sanctuary that had a few pews and a pulpit. I saw what looked to be a secondary room off to one side, which I guessed was likely some sort of study or office.

Standing at the pulpit, I could see another elderly man. This man looked to be around the same age as Duncan, though he seemed older in the way he acted. His hair was gray, his face was wrinkled, and he had a weak but soft smile. He was dressed in a priest's robe that covered him from neck-to-toe and he wore the same necklace Endelyon wore.

"This is Father Meven," Endelyon spoke up. "Father Meven, I'd like you to meet a new Milletian. She said her name was..." Endelyon paused, then turned to me.

"Rin Akagi."

"Ah, right, sorry about that."

I giggled. "No worries."

"It is nice to meet you, Rin," Meven spoke as he stepped around the pulpit and over to me. He knelt down to my level. "It is always nice to meet other Milletians."

"I was told you needed help by Duncan."

"Ah, yes. It's nothing as grand as I'm sure you Milletians are used to, what with you seeking adventure and excitement most of the time."

I shrugged. "I just got here, so I'm not sure what most Milletians are used to. I'll help in any way I can, though."

Meven nodded. "Well, just to the south of here there is a farm. There are a few workers that the church employs to work there, but as of late the harvest has been too much for them to be able to handle on their own."

I rubbed my chin. "I've never done harvesting or farming before, but I could try to help."

Meven smiled. "It'd be wonderful if you could. Of course, you don't have to bother yourself too heavily over this."

"Is there anyone in particular I should talk to that can show me what to do?"

"There is Alissa. She is usually by the mill."

"Alright, I'll head on over." I nodded with a smile. I turned and headed out of the church and off to the mill.

Upon arriving at the mill, I saw a young girl. She looked like she couldn't be much older than 12. She had brown hair that was mostly covered by a hat that seemed a tad too big for her. She was also dressed in a simple dress with an apron that also seemed far too large. She seemed to be hard at work with the mill.

"Hello?" I asked.

The girl jumped and turned around. "You scared me."

"I'm sorry. I'm looking for an Alissa? I came to help with the harvest, and I was told I could find her here?"

The girl got a big grin and pointed at herself. "I'm Alissa!"

"You are?" I was surprised. I figured the person in charge of the farms would be older. "Are you a Milletian?"

"Nope, why, are you?"

I nodded, then explained my thoughts.

Alissa scoffed at me. "You expected someone older? I'll have you know I've been working here for years now."

"Really? How old are you?"

"Twelve." Alissa said that with a big smirk full of confidence.

I stared in confusion for a moment. "Huh... alright, then..." I guess things worked differently around here than I was used to in my old world.

"You said you wanted to help with the harvest?" Alissa questioned.

"Yes!" I shouted abruptly. "Umm... I mean... I would like to, yes. I'm just not sure what to do. I've never helped with a harvest before."

Alissa nodded. "Shouldn't be a problem. You're a Milletian, you tend to learn quickly." 

Alissa spent several minutes showing me how to work the mill. Within an hour, I realized I had no trouble using the mill to grind wheat and barley into flour, then put it into bags. This must have been what Alissa had meant about learning quickly. In my own world, I'd still barely understand what I was doing, but here, it was like it had been second nature right from the start.

Alissa and I then made our way to the actual farm. I met with one of the workers who handed me some tools and began to show me how to harvest the wheat and barley that the farm grew. Once again, I had no trouble learning how to use the tools and how to help. Within another hour, it was as if I had been doing it my whole life.

I found that the work I was doing was certainly tough, back-breaking work. Yet, for some reason, I noticed I barely seem tired. Even after two hours of work, I still felt fresh and chipper while the other workers were starting to look tired. When the time came for the workers to stop for a break, I still barely felt winded.

Perhaps this was what being a Milletian was all about? It was like I always had energy. Even after we returned to work and I had worked the rest of the day away, I still felt energetic.

"Good work today, everyone!" Alissa smiled as the workers headed off. "Rin! It's quitting time, you know?"

I was still working, not even realizing how much time had passed. When I looked up, I wiped some sweat from my forehead and noticed the sun had gone down. I grabbed up the wheat I had harvested and made my way back to Alissa.

"You really worked hard out there. This year's harvest will be great thanks to your help."

"No problem." I smiled. That was when it hit me. I had been working all day. I hadn't even considered where I was going to get food to eat or a place to stay during the night. I voiced these concerns without even thinking about it.

Alissa giggled. "Just cross the bridge right there. Nora can give you a room at the inn. There's also a couple stores further up the hill towards Duncan's house that carry things like fruits, vegetables, and other things you could make meals from."

I felt a pit form in my stomach. I had no idea how to cook.

"It's not that hard," Alissa responded with a smile. "Besides, you're a Milletian. Even if you didn't try, you'd still pick up on it super quick."

Well, she wasn't wrong. I had learned how to help on the farm pretty quickly. I smiled, nodded, then headed off.

Before heading to the inn, I first stopped by the shop. Alissa had handed me a few gold pieces for my work on the farm that day, and when I stepped into the shop, I knew I was probably going to leave with very little of it left. Everything smelled amazing in the store, even the worker.

The worker was a girl that seemed a bit older than Endelyon. I had to guess she was likely in her twenties. She had long brown hair that was neatly tied back and she looked... a tad bit chubby, which I found cute. She was dressed in a yellow dress with an apron, though unlike Alissa, her clothes actually fit her.

"Welcome, how can I help you?" the girl asked.

"I'm hungry," I responded. "But I don't know how to cook or anything. I'm really new here."

"Oh my, are you a Milletian?"

I nodded. "My name is Rin Akagi."

"You can call me Caitin." The girl smiled. "So, you don't know how to cook, huh?"

I shook my head.

"Here, I can show you a simple meal that's easy to cook."

Caitin took a few ingredients from the store and I handed her the money for them. She then walked me out of the store to a small oven they had out back.

"This is where our store does cooking for anyone who wants prepared food."

Caitin showed me how to light the oven, then how to take the ingredients she had prepared and mix and cook them together. When she was done, I had a decent sized meal in front of me.

I thanked her and sat down and ate. The food was absolutely fantastic! It was unlike anything I had ever eaten before. I couldn't believe that I had made it with my own hand, even if it was with the help of Caitin. Maybe there was something to this whole "learning quickly as a Milletian" thing.

After eating my meal, I headed off to the inn for a good rest.

Nora was the name that Alissa had given me for the innkeeper, and as I arrived at the inn, it didn't take long for me to meet her. She was standing just outside the inn, beating a thick blanket with a strange looking object. She had honey-blonde hair and azure eyes. She dressed in a dress with a green apron over top of it.

"Are you Nora?" I asked.

"I am." Nora turned to me. "How can I help you?"

"My name is Rin Akagi. I'm a Milletian, and I want to stay at your inn tonight."

"Oh my, a Milletian wants to stay at the inn?" Nora seemed shocked and even blushed. "I'm surprised."

"How so?"

"I didn't think you Milletians needed sleep." Nora chuckled nervously.

I blinked in confusion. Didn't need sleep? Was that true? I did still feel really energetic. In fact, I hadn't felt tired at all, despite working all day. Come to think of it... I hadn't even eaten until I went to the store, but I hadn't actually felt hungry. Did I even need to eat or sleep?

I pondered this for a long moment as Nora stared at me. "Are you okay?"

I snapped out of my thoughts. "Sorry... I'm a little new to this whole Milletian thing. I just got here today, so I don't really know what I actually need. I guess I just assumed I needed the same kinds of necessities I needed before I came here..."

Nora pondered a moment. "Truthfully, I don't know what you need either. I wonder if another Milletian could tell you."

"Do you know how to find other Milletians?"

"They usually gather in Dunbarton to the south of here. It's about a day's journey. I hear it's always busy because Milletians are always awake."

I closed my eyes to think. I did need to find another Milletian so I could talk to them and figure out what I needed. "Well, I guess I should make my way there."

"Do you know how to fight? There's bandits and fomors all along the road."

"What's a fomor?" I asked.

"They're evil monsters that attacked our homes long ago. They say the Goddess Morrighan sealed them away beneath the ground, but there's still several of them about."

"I'll need to know how to defend myself, then..." I sighed.

"Why not speak with Ranald tomorrow? He helps in the school. He trains students in physical combat while Lassar trains students in magic."

"That sounds great. I'll do that." I smiled.

"Do you still want a room for the night?"

I nodded. "I might as well try to sleep. If I don't need to, I can always get up and wander about town."

Nora nodded with a smile. "Alright, right this way then."

Nora showed me to a room. I lied down and tried to sleep in the bed, but no matter how long I lied there, it just seemed as if sleep wouldn't come to me. After what felt like forever, I got up and wandered out of the inn and back into town.

The night was peaceful. As I looked to the sky, I could see stars twinkling brightly. I had never seen so many stars in my life. It was as if the entire sky was an endless ocean of twinkling, glittering lights.

In the center of Tir Chonaill, there was a small pit. During the night, a guard was posted there with a campfire in the center of it. As I approached, the guard grabbed his sword and jumped to his feet.

"Who goes there?"

I rose my hands. "My name's Rin Akagi, I'm a Milletian."

The guard stared at me. "Come closer to the fire so I can see you."

I stepped closer to the fire and the guard looked me over.

"You look like a little kid."

"That's cause I am," I responded. I sat down on one of the steps. "I'm thirteen."

The guard continued to stare at me. "Well, I suppose that does check out... Most Milletians do look like children..."

"They apparently don't need to sleep either."

"That's true." The guard nodded. "My name is Trefor."

"Nice to meet you." I smiled at him.

Trefor sat down and we stared into the campfire for a long moment.

It was odd, there was a definite chill in the air now that the sun was down, but I didn't feel cold at all. Was this another aspect of being a Milletian?

Trefor and I continued to sit and stare at the campfire in silence. I didn't know what to say to him, nor did he seem to know what to say to me. We just sat there in silence for what seemed like hours.

Finally, I noticed the sun beginning to rise. Trefor stood to his feet and stretched. "Another successfully guarded night."

I smiled. It must have been boring to sit around every night and guard the town, but I suppose someone had to do it. I was about to stand up when my vision suddenly went black.

\-----

Where was I? What was going on? I was surrounded by darkness, and no matter where I moved or where I looked, I could not see or feel anything.

I felt something brush against my arm and I jumped. As I turned to the culprit, I noticed a glowing feather was floating there.

Suddenly, many glowing feathers seemed to fall from the sky. As I turned to look at them, I saw a bright light suddenly shine from above, illuminating a strange set of ruins in front of me. In the center of those ruins was the most beautiful woman I had ever seen.

Her hair was long and black as pitch, ending down near her feet. Her skin was fair and radiant, almost as white as the dress she wore. The dress itself completely covered her ample bust, though I could see the top only covered her chest. Her sides and back seemed to be completely exposed.

A long slit in her dress went from her waist down to the bottom of her dress which ended down at her bare feet. A golden belt wrapped around her waist and a set of golden chains were cuffed to her wrists and arms. On her back were two black feathery wings that went from her head down to her feet. Her eyes were closed.

"Can you... hear me?" I heard her voice ask. It was beautiful and radiant, like the voice of an angel.

"I... yes?"

"Good. I'm glad." I saw her smile. "What I am about to ask you... it may seem a strange request... But you must hear my voice and listen to my words."

I nodded quietly.

"You must come to this world. Tir Na Nog is in great danger."

"Come... to this world? What do you mean? What's Tir Na Nog?"

The light around the woman began to fade, and soon everything again returned to darkness. I tried to call out, but there was no longer anyone there.


End file.
